Candid conversations with senior leaders: Career highlights and challenges explored in new podcast series

The path to becoming a senior leader is not always easy, with no single direction to follow. But learning from others’ successes and setbacks can help us reflect on and refine our own route to the top. Our new podcast series, ‘Leadership Unlocked’, produced by the Henley Centre for Leadership, boasts a formidable lineup of senior figures who talk openly about their leadership journeys and what it means to be a senior leader today.

Offering thoughtful insights, fresh perspectives and honest reflections, our guests share their personal stories and insights to enhance your leadership learning and provide strong confirmation for your current practices. Despite their differing career paths and industries, our guests share common experiences and goals, but also bring contrasting perspectives on what success looks like for a senior leader and how to get there.

Topics tackled throughout the series include: self-leadership and leadership as a platform; the importance of making tough choices; accepting and jumping on serendipity; the art of influencing; knowing when to get out of the way; the reality of self-doubt and setbacks; and questions around age and ego. Guests also share which leadership myths they would like to eradicate if they could, which produces some passionate responses.

Hosted by Bernd Vogel, Professor in Leadership and Founding Director of the Henley Centre for Leadership, all seven episodes in the series are available to listen to now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, with the guest line up as follows:

• Episode 1: Christian Pau, General Manager UK & Ireland, The LEGO Group
• Episode 2: Tommy Olofsen, Chief Marine Services Officer, OSM Thome
• Episode 3: Emily Maitlis, Broadcaster and journalist
• Episode 4: Paul Lindley, Chancellor UoR, Entrepreneur, Founder of Ella's Kitchen
• Episode 5: Sanna Suvanto-Harsaae, Chair at Finnair
• Episode 6: Helene Murphy, CHRO, Gridserve
• Episode 7: Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer, CIO, NATO

Commenting on the motivation behind the series, Professor Bernd Vogel said: “We know there is no blueprint for senior leadership success but we can all learn from outstanding leadership journeys. Insights that help senior leaders reflect on and advance their own practices, and create positive, meaningful impact with the roles they have been given as custodians of their business."

"I can honestly say this has been humbling and I have learnt tremendously for my own work and practice. It has been a privilege to spend time with all of our guests and dive into what they have learnt on their journeys to the top of their professions. With such a varied guest list, I believe there is something we can all take from the conversations to make a difference in our own practices, whatever stage of our career.”

An overview and links to all episodes in the series can be found here.